Who is Babe Wishnell from Stern Men and what is their importance?

A prosperous lobsterman on Courne Haven Island, ME, Babe throws a gala wedding for his daughter, Dorothy (Dotty) Wishnell, and Charlie Burden. At the reception, Babe roasts the newlyweds with dubious humor and anecdotes that he does not realize embarrass himself. Protagonist Ruth Thomas slips off into the woods to meet Babe's cousin, Owney Wishnell. They conceive a baby at whose baptism Babe, like Ruth's father, Stan, both sit grimly calculating how to maximize profits. Seeing this, Ruth conceives of a way to help all of the lobstermen perform routine chores. This grows into the vastly profitable Skillet County Fishing Cooperative, as whose president Babe serves.